Space for sport: The interplay between the physical environment, intrapersonal factors and sports participation

Abstract

Attractively designed and accessible public spaces that invite people to engage in sports are important for encouraging participation in sports, writes PhD candidate Ineke Deelen in her doctoral thesis. Besides characteristics of the physical environment, the personal characteristics of different groups of actual and potential sports participants also play a major role and relate to preferences in the use of sports spaces. A better understanding of this interplay of factors will enable that more effective policy can be developed that encourages more people to practice sports and continue to do so. Sports that are generally unorganised or practised and offered informally, such as running, cycling, CrossFit and yoga, appear to be gaining ground on more ‘traditional’, organised sports. However, very little is known about the specific characteristics of the physical environment that encourage people to practice sports (more frequently) and how all of this relates to personal factors such as motivation. In her research, Ineke Deelen explored how the physical environment and personal factors affect each other and explain participation in sports. Her findings demonstrate that the physical environment makes a difference. Not only the availability and proximity of parks, woodlands and natural areas, and sports facilities, the liveability and urban density of the neighbourhood turn out to be key factors. The experience of the physical environment also plays an important role. For example, a green, liveable environment and a comfortable ground surface largely explain the extent to which runners experience the environment in which they are running to be attractive. In addition to the physical environment, Deelen concludes that personal factors, such as motivation, constraints experienced and the time spent on other activities than sport also play an important role in explaining participation in sports. More informal and low key types of sport especially are easily accessible and flexible and therefore a good match for the motivation, goals, preferences and needs of the large group of ‘busy’ people and those who practise sports for health reasons. She also identified differences between experienced and less experienced runners. Additionally, Deelen discovered that travel distances to the sports club only play a role for young tennis players and not for footballers. In other words, the physical environment is not related to participation in sports in the same way for everyone. On the contrary: for some, personal factors play a much more important role. According to the researcher, designing public spaces in a way that is sports-friendly would be a good starting point for joint efforts within area development to make residential environments healthier, more social and safer. An important precondition for this is to ensure that the interests and needs of all stakeholders, including those offering and (potentially) making use of the sports infrastructure, are effectively identified in advance. Proactive collaboration in multidisciplinary teams that transcend specific domains can enable progress to be made towards achieving a more inclusive, liveable and healthy living environment.